Why Don't More People Love Audio?

I think there are several reasons why high end audio is such a limited market. First of all the general public has no idea it exists. The greatest product in the world will not sell if no one is aware of it in the first place. Secondly, people need to be moved emotionally by a system if they are going to shell out extra dollars for a high end rig. Friends of mine thought I should have my head examined for the amount of money I've spent on my system until they came over and experienced an evening of music. When the lights went out and the music started they were awestruck because for the first time an audio system delivered the emotion of music. Every audiophile out there knows exactly what I mean. Another reason is the fact that people tend to be more visual than audio. This is why a family will likely spend several thousand dollars on a new HDTV and next to nothing on audio. Hopefully some day more people will have experienced what hi end is all about!

I agree with Kentb...and must ask if audiophiles are doing our part to educate our friends, or are we just turning up our noses to their systems? I also agree with Michael Fremer (in his PS AUDIO "Coal to Coltrane" a brief history of power - dvd interview) when he said (to paraphrase him) that his 2nd favorite part of listening to music was bringing "non-audio friends" down to listen to music on his rig. His friends had questions/comments like "Why is it I've never heard about this (hi-fi stuff) before?"...and... "The music doesn't even sound like it's coming from the speakers!"...Has everyone seen this dvd?...it's FREE! GO GET IT!!! We must do our part to make people aware of our passion...if we did this I suspect highend stereo would quickly enter the mainstream! A whole lot of people want this sound, they just don't know it yet!

Wishful thinking. Most people don't get it and don't care to. That epiphany you imagine that opens everyone's eyes forever to the wonderfulness of high end audio is fanciful at best.
Over the course of thirty years I demonstrated high end audio to thousands of people. Most were already infected before they came to the store but the rest were immune.
I have a very high resolution extremely musical system at home and I show it off frequently. Many of those who have heard my system are musicians and/or music instructors. They never fail to be impressed but they never consider owning anything like this themselves. No amount of instruction or cajiling on my part can awaken a glimmer of ambition.
These people love music. It is their life. They do it all day every day and quite a bit at night too. They all have some sort of sound system but they don't care about quality at all. Just something that works; that's all they desire.
My relatives have responded the same way in recent years. There was a time when nearly everyone wanted stereo but only a small percentage of us took it any further. My own kids have decent systems hooked up to their computers. Both have NAD preamps and NHT Pro M-OO speakers with S-OO subs. Still they listen to headphones most of the time, occassionally using my rig.
Times have changed and audio as we know it is pretty much doomed. Fashions and priorities are moving away from our thing and our numbers are suffering from attrition.

I've been thinking a lot about what Macrojack said. I don't know about the rest of you but going to a hi-fi shop, as an enthusiastic consumer, has almost always been a BIG disappointment to me. Picture this: you're excitement built, you walk in to you're local shop, you look around for a couple of minutes and a crusty old salesman strolls over to say "hello, how can I (or we) help you today?" I don't know about the rest of you but I always find myself WANTING TO SAY something like: "Well, for starters, you could take a shower...and maybe shave...or just wear some clothes that are less than 10 - 15 years old." But what I DO SAY is something like: "Oh, hello, my name's Bruce, I've been having a problem with this (insert equipment piece here) piece of gear and wanted to stop in to check out a (insert well-researched equipment piece here.) "Well, 1st of all (in a condescending tone, the salesman replies,) you don't want a (insert well-researched equipment piece here), you want this (insert non-researched equipment piece here.) "Okay, why not?" I reply. The salesperson replies, "Here, have a seat (on this dirty ol' sofa or chair,) let me go find a (particular & likely unfamiliar - to me at least) cd." So, for 2 - 3 minutes I'm stuck there waiting for them to return with some music I (most likely) care nothing for, while I could be exploring the gear in that room. They come back muttering something to themselves like "where on earth did that damn disc go?" "Okay, listen to this..." the salesman demands. Hmm, smooth jazz, GREAT, my favorite (not.) The salesman disappears again for 5 minutes and comes back to ask "so...?" "Well, to be honest (cause it's the best policy ;), it sounds like there's a speaker wired out of phase." "No, the salesman replies, I checked 'em (the speakers' phase) MYSELF, last week." "Okay, thanks for the demo, but I've got to get going." "Alright, says the salesman, 'here's my card, let me know if I can help you." Where do you think THAT card is going? Arghh!...very frustrating, but VERY TYPICAL! With sales people as enthusiastic and knowledgeable as him - it's no wonder more people don't care about (and aren't willing to make any space and time for) audio! A passion for the high end audio hobby is just like any other hobby; it's the net result of "seeds" correctly planted & properly maintained in the minds of newcomers by fellow passionate hobbyists. Imao audio is less like a disease (or "infection") & more like a religion. Thus, it's the responsibility of the "church (of hi-fi") to convert & help newcomers establish a meaningful relationship with the hi-fi gods. If we don't do it - who will?
-The Reverend Bruce30
Ps. Show me a kid who enjoys his (or her) parent's hobby & I'll show you 100 more who don't.

Intelligence and sensitivity are just not that common.